Upper Delaware, New York
West Branch Delaware Fishing Report: August 5, 2026
The West Branch is cold and still dropping at Hale Eddy, with good summer dry-fly opportunity if you work around bright, warm afternoon weather.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Midday sulphur window on the upper West Branch, then shaded late-day banks and flats
- Best methods
- dry flies, wet flies, nymphs
Quick Summary
The West Branch is in good summer shape this morning. USGS showed 695 cfs, 3.13 feet, and 50.0 F at Hale Eddy during the 8 AM report check, down from yesterday morning and still comfortably cold for trout. Recent Upper Delaware source context continues to point toward midday sulphurs on the upper West Branch, small olives mixed in, and enough algae above Oquaga Creek that dry flies and wets are cleaner choices than dredging nymphs. Fish it, but treat wading as selective and keep an eye on late-day thunderstorms after dark.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good. The river is cold, falling, and at a useful summer level for floating and careful wading |
| Flow | 695 cfs at Hale Eddy during the 8 AM report check |
| Gauge Height | 3.13 feet at Hale Eddy |
| Water Temp | 50.0 F at Hale Eddy |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; recent local context described the West Branch as clearing after rain |
| Trend | Falling from yesterday morning's 804 cfs report check |
| Best Window | Midday sulphurs on the upper West Branch, then shaded late-day banks and flats |
| Best Method | Dry flies, emergers, and wet flies first; nymph the lower West where algae is less limiting |
| Wadeability | Limited to fair. Pick stable edges and skip heavy mid-channel crossings |
Weather
For Hancock and Hale Eddy, the National Weather Service forecast calls for mostly cloudy weather with a high near 85 F and light south wind up to 5 mph. That warmth can make the fishing feel slow in bright or flat water even while the tailwater remains cold at Hale Eddy. Showers and thunderstorms are forecast mainly after 1 AM tonight, so daytime plans are more about heat, light, and presentation than immediate storm runoff.
River Notes
The river keeps sliding toward a more approachable level after the early-week rain. At 695 cfs, Hale Eddy is still not low, but it gives anglers better edge access than the post-rain push and remains a strong drift-boat level. Start above Oquaga Creek if your main goal is cold water and surface feeding during the sulphur window. If algae fouls nymphs or droppers on the upper river, move lower and fish walking-speed seams, riffle edges, and inside bends where subsurface rigs stay cleaner.
Water temperature is a strength on this tailwater today: 50.0 F at the morning check gives trout a good buffer against the warm air forecast. That does not make every connected water safe in August. Carry a thermometer if you leave the cold tailwater influence, and stop targeting trout anywhere temperatures approach 68 F.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. Recent Upper Delaware source context supports summer sulphurs on the upper West Branch around midday, small Blue Winged Olives, scattered Isonychias, Cahills, tan caddis, and spinners. Under mostly cloudy skies, watch the surface before committing to a nymph program; if the hatch is thin, wets and emergers can cover the same lanes without collecting as much algae.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Main reported summer hatch on the upper West Branch; carry duns, emergers, and cripples |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-24 | Small olives may be mixed into the sulphurs, especially during softer light |
| Isonychia | 10-14 | Useful as a wet, nymph, or searching dry along faster riffle edges |
| Tan Caddis | 16-20 | Pupa and soft hackles are good when rises are scattered |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Carry for evening or lower-light bank seams |
| Rusty and Sulphur Spinners | 16-24 | Worth having near last light if wind and surface chop stay manageable |
| Ants and Beetles | 14-20 | Good summer backup along grass, undercuts, and shaded bank cover |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Sparkle Dun, Comparadun, or CDC Emerger | 16-20 | First choice during the upper-river sulphur window |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Olive | 18-24 | Match the smaller olives mixed into the hatch |
| Dry | Isonychia Parachute or Light Cahill | 10-16 | Good searching dry when fish are not locked on sulphurs |
| Dry | Ant or Beetle | 14-20 | Bank pattern for warm, humid August afternoons |
| Wet | Soft Hackle Sulphur or Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail | 14-18 | Swing under the film when adults are present but rises are not steady |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, or Perdigon | 14-18 | Use on cleaner lower-West seams if algae limits upper-river nymphing |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | Work riffles and faster edges with enough weight to tick bottom |
| Streamer | Small Sculpin or Woolly Bugger | 6-10 | Backup for stained edges, shade, or bank-oriented fish |
Tactics
Approach the upper West as a technical dry-fly river first. Watch for sulphurs and small olives, then adjust profile before changing water: dun, emerger, cripple, and spinner can each matter on flat tailwater fish. If you need to cover water before bugs show, swing soft hackles through riffle seams or fish a short dry-dropper where algae allows. For nymphing, favor the lower West and keep the rig simple enough to clean often. Wading is better than it was after the rain, but 695 cfs still deserves careful footwork.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY | 695 cfs | 50.0 F | USGS 01426500 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS station 01426500 and the National Weather Service forecast for the Hancock and Hale Eddy, NY area. This report is an original Custom FlyBox summary based on current official gauge and weather data, with local public conditions reports reviewed separately for hatch, method, clarity, and safety context.